Spirit of Hope Celebration- It was the Baum
The Spirit of Hope Board of Ambassadors hosted their 13th Spirit of Hope Celebration on Friday, November 14 at Mohegan Pennsylvania. The evening featured cocktails, food stations, a silent auction, gift card guarantee and a lottery tree. In addition to that, this year’s Tribute to Courage Honoree was John “Slick” Baum.
John “Slick” Baum is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and leading business strategist. John enlisted in the USAF at 17 serving as an avionics maintenance technician. He then attended Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University graduating with a BS in Aeronautical Science in 1999 and a Masters of Aeronautical Science in 2008.
Col. Baum attended Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training and graduated F-16 training as the Distinguished Graduate. He then attended USAF Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun) and returned as an instructor. The Commander of Air Combat Command requested that John fly as a Demonstration Pilot for the 2009-2010 Thunderbird team. Following the Thunderbirds, he was selected as a Secretary of the Air Force Strategic Communications Fellow earning a Masters in Strategic Communication from George Mason University.
By every measure, the event soared — raising $39,000 for the NRCI Cancer Screening Navigation Program. The Ambassadors pour their passion and hope into helping NRCI facilitate thousands of life-saving cancer screenings.
With Spring in full swing, these dedicated individuals are already hard at work planning for the year ahead.
Stay tuned, and be sure to save the date: Friday, November 6th, 2026, at Mohegan Pennsylvania.